Chainmale: 3SM--A Unique View of Leather Culture

Rating:
Summary: Not exactly as promised
Review: Everyone's life is unique and Bastian has wisely avoided attempting to make his own journey into and through the gay male SM world universal. The book is a combination of current reflection, memories and scenes that demonstrate not only how much Bastian has changed but how much his subculture has changed. However the book claims to talk about a leather family, a family that is similar to several I know of, yet very very little time is spent exploring who is in Bastian's family. Having a non-traditional family is difficult, add into it any power dynamic and it is even more confusing. Each kinky family really creates its own model -- I had been hoping this book could be one model and I was deeply disappointed it was not.

Rating:
Summary: Not exactly as promised
Review: Everyone's life is unique and Bastian has wisely avoided attempting to make his own journey into and through the gay male SM world universal. The book is a combination of current reflection, memories and scenes that demonstrate not only how much Bastian has changed but how much his subculture has changed. However the book claims to talk about a leather family, a family that is similar to several I know of, yet very very little time is spent exploring who is in Bastian's family. Having a non-traditional family is difficult, add into it any power dynamic and it is even more confusing. Each kinky family really creates its own model -- I had been hoping this book could be one model and I was deeply disappointed it was not.

Rating:
Summary: A welcome addition to our leather history
Review: Many how-to books have been written in the last decade, but no autobiographies that I know of. The author perceives his leather journey as spiritual, and shares that journey with the reader. The style includes flashback vignettes - simultaneously relevant and sexy -- that work uncommonly well. The domination and submission elements in the flashbacks were delicious without being lurid.

Rating:
Summary: A welcome addition to our leather history
Review: Many how-to books have been written in the last decade, but no autobiographies that I know of. The author perceives his leather journey as spiritual, and shares that journey with the reader. The style includes flashback vignettes - simultaneously relevant and sexy -- that work uncommonly well. The domination and submission elements in the flashbacks were delicious without being lurid.